I visited Dairy Queen to understand why the chain has been so successful recently, but the overpriced, unappetizing food I found confused me

Dairy Queen is known for its blizzards and other ice cream treats, but the chain recently announced plans to revamp its lunch and dinner menus.

Dairy Queen has seen record sales lately, with an 18% revenue increase in 2021 to $224.7 million. Sales remain elevated over pre-pandemic levels.

Source: CNBC

Dairy Queen launched the new Stackburger lineup and revamped chicken strips to capitalize on this growth.

I visited a location in Rochester, New York to see why the chain has been so successful recently.

The interior felt like a typical fast-food restaurant, with a menu board highlighting the new Stackburgers.

Signs across the store also pushed the new menu items.

Though I primarily think of Dairy Queen as a place to get ice cream, the signage seems to be promoting the chain as a food destination as well.

Blizzards, a blend of ice cream and mix in toppings, are also featured prominently.

After ordering, customers step out of line and walk past the birthday cakes available to purchase.

They come with strong Dairy Queen branding as Blizzard Cakes.

The restaurant had a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, which I always appreciate.

When you order you get a numbered placard that will be called when your food is ready. The numbers also include Dairy Queen facts.

I wandered around the restaurant a bit more as I waited.

The decor also seemed designed to create the sense that Dairy Queen was an storied and nostalgic brand, with photos from the first location.

The first Dairy Queen opened in 1940 in Illinois.

Source: Dairy Queen

Now the chain has about 4,300 US locations and is owned by Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway.

Source: CNBC

My food was ready fairly quickly, in under 10 minutes.

I got a peanut butter milkshake, which was delicious.

It was hearty without being too thick to drink, topped with plenty of whipped cream.

I also had to try a Blizzard, which is one of the chain’s most famous items. It didn’t disappoint.

Next up, I tried the food.

Food already accounts for a majority of sales for Dairy Queen in the Southeast, despite my perception of the chain as primarily an ice cream restaurant.

Source: CNBC

My bacon cheeseburger came wrapped in paper inside a box.

It was overflowing off the bun and felt a bit soggy when I opened it.

I’m not usually one to shy away from messy foods but this was too much for me.

I had to remove some of the toppings to eat it. The ratio of burger to other components seemed off, making every bite too soft and wet.

I was quite excited for the side of cheese curds I ordered, which looked great.

Even a mediocre cheese curd is still pretty good, but these didn’t quite live up to the ones sold at rival Culver’s.

I also got chicken tenders and fries to round out my menu test.

I felt the chicken strips suffered from the same problem as the burger. They were so wet and covered in sauce they were hard to enjoy.

I did like the barbecue flavor, it was just too much.

Unfortunately, the fries were another disappointment.

They were limp and nearly flavorless, and I had no desire to finish them.

My visit confirmed my perception of Dairy Queen as a great place to get ice cream, but not a restaurant where I would eat again.

The meal cost about $30, which is a bit on the expensive side for fast food, especially considering the quality. However, I’d happily pay $2.49 for a Blizzard any day.

Dairy Queen’s success means it is reaching customers and doing something right, but I couldn’t find any evidence of that during my visit.

Do you have a story to share about a retail or restaurant chain? Email this reporter at mmeisenzahl@businessinsider.com.